Report: 49ers' Alex Smith won't return to team next season

49ers backup quarterback Alex Smith reportedly won't be back with team next season. (Brian Bahr/Getty Images)

San Francisco 49ers backup quarterback Alex Smith will most likely not return to the team next season, reports NFL.com. 

The report says that there are several teams interested in Smith, including the Arizona Cardinals, the Buffalo Bills and the Philadelphia Eagles. Smith is due a $8.5 million salary in 2013.

Smith was the league's highest rated quarterback when he was injured on Nov. 11 against the St. Louis Rams. He was completing 70 percent of his passes and had 13 touchdowns before suffering a concussion. Backup Colin Kaepernick come on in relief and never relinquished the starting job, leading the team to Super Bowl XLVII against the Baltimore Ravens.

The Niners will try to trade their former starting quarterback after the Super Bowl, but if nothing materializes they will cut him sooner rather than later out of respect to Smith.

Smith and his agent, Tom Condon, have a strong relationship with the 49ers, and the team believes Smith has earned the right to pick a team.